We are busy, busy, busy and always on the go. That means we do more with our phones than ever before. But are you always courteous with your phone.

As of January 2014, the Pew Research Center reports that ninety percent of American adults have cell phones. That means that most of us are walking around with devices in our pockets that give us the gift of communication anywhere we go. Given that so many of us have embraced the technology, we couldn’t overlook the opportunity to talk about polite phone usage during Cell Phone Courtesy Month.

Rather than talk about what not to do, we prefer to focus on the positives. Here are some do’s.

Do Be Present In The Moment
Out with friends? Having dinner with your family? Enjoy the time you have with loved ones and engage in conversation with them! Chances are, whoever is trying to call or message you can wait awhile.

Do Silence Your Phone
Respect the people around you by using your phone’s silent or vibrate mode and let calls go to voicemail during public events like movies and plays or during work meetings. You don’t want to miss out on what’s happening around you or distract others with your conversation.

Do Respect Service Workers
It’s a busy world for you and for the people around you so be respectful of time. Don’t make service workers wait or feel ignored while you carry on a conversation. Store clerks and wait staff will be the first people to tell you they don’t enjoy listening to your conversation while they wait to wait on you.

Do Maintain Your Privacy
Be aware of your surroundings and avoid discussing confidential information or private information in public. You never know who may be in hearing range. Besides, do you really want a lot of strangers to know the details of your recent root canal? Along those lines, keep your emotions in check and avoid having an argument where others can hear.

Do Use Your Indoor Voice
People tend to speak more loudly than normal on their cell phone and sometimes don’t realize how distracting the added volume is to others.

Do Be Discreet
If you need to take a call and you are with a group, excuse yourself and find a quiet place to have the conversation. When possible, stay in place and send the person a text to let them know when you will return the call.

Do Focus on the Road
Be responsible when you’re behind the wheel. Don’t text or place calls when driving. Need to make a call? Pull over for a few minutes. It’s better to be a little late for your destination than to cause an accident with your distracted driving.

Do Watch The Volume
If you’re watching a video or listening to music on your device, try earphones to avoid distracting others.

Respect Rules
While you may love your phone, there are some places that do not welcome your mobile devices. Respect posted signs at places like hospitals, dentist offices or government facilities where usage is restricted.

We know you love your phone! We love our phones too! However, as usage becomes more prevalent, we all need to focus on being good users. What are your thoughts on this topic? We would love to hear from you! Post a comment today!